The invention relates to video games and more specifically to a hand operated controller for playing computer video games.
The early video games had a display screen whose graphics portrayed a two dimensional scene. Some of these were hand held self-contained portable units.
Improved action video games, such as Nintendo, require a separate controller that is connected to a console containing a PCB upon which an IC is mounted. The console is connected to a television or monitor and the game is displayed on its screen. The controller is only capable of moving a character or object to the left or right, up and down, and forward or rearward.
More recently action video games have been created having three dimensional scenes. Many of these have been designed to be played on a computer and the screen of its monitor. The player still uses a controller or joystick in one hand that only moves the character or object to the left or right up or down, and forward or rearward. The excitement of the action video games causes the player to physically push and pull the controller or joystick all around while playing the video game. The joystick, by its design, is unstable and as a result the player usually has to hold the base of the controller or joystick with one hand to stabilize it while operating the controls with his other hand. These action video games often require the player to use his free hand to use the keyboard of the computer to produce special moves to the character or object being moved in the game. None of the present-day computer games have controllers that allow the character to separately move in any direction and also allow the character to look with his eyes in any desired direction.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel hand manipulated controller that incorporates a trackball type of controller and a joystick controller in a single base.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel hand manipulated controller that eliminates the need to use the keyboard or mouse of a computer while playing an action video game. It is another object of the invention to provide a novel hand manipulated dual controller that allows the video game character to separately move in any desired direction and allow the character to look with his eyes in any direction.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel hand manipulated controller that allows the player to operate the joystick controller with one hand while he rigidly holds the base of the controller with his other and also operates the trackball controller with the same hand.